Introduction
Many people use rationalizations to describe their actions when they find themselves in challenging situations. This refers to an attempt to explain or falsely justify wrongdoing using logical reasoning, even if it is not appropriate. An individual will do this in order to prove to themself and others that their behavior has been well-intentioned and that they are a decent person (Johnson, 2018). However, such explanations ultimately do not absolve people of their wrongdoings even if the result was intended to generate positive outcomes. The article by Mitch Weiss (1996) discusses how Rev. Slim Lake has been illegally purchasing food stamps and then using them to buy food for the homeless, drug addicts, and recovering alcoholics. He has engaged in such activities for several years, and some community members value his services. This paper discusses rationalization in the case of Rev. Slims Lake. It concludes that although he acts unethically by illegally purchasing food stamps, Lake has convinced himself that his actions are justified because he is providing a service to community members.
Rationalizations in the Case of Rev. Slim Lake
Food stamp trafficking is a legal and ethical offense that is harmful to those who need the most assistance. However, Rev. Lake justifies his actions by arguing that his activities have helped to feed the disadvantaged, so he should not be put in jail. According to Johnson (2018), Lake is rationalizing that nobody is hurt by his actions so he should be allowed to continue acting as before. However, this is a wrong assumption because Lake’s behavior affects the people in society who follow the rules, and it also reflects his lack of respect for the law. Considering that he is a religious leader, he is expected to be the one to model decent manners for the people he is feeding, some of whom might still engage in dishonest behavior. Therefore, his actions offer latitude for the congregation to indulge and accept illegal behavior. Lake understands that his actions are wrong, but he is framing them as charitable deeds which deserve praise. He cares what the community thinks of him, and he wants to convince himself that he is a decent person but his behavior is hurting his integrity, which can be difficult to repair. His willingness to engage in illegal activities ultimately shows that he is not trustworthy and that he is not an effective role model for his followers.
Lake also rationalizes that his actions are too important and necessary to be stopped. According to the reverend, he has been purchasing food stamps for seven years while he has been in ministry. Rather than thinking rationally about the illegality and the consequences of buying the stamps, he rationalizes his actions by trying to prove that his services are essential to the community. Perhaps, he is using his experiences as a former drug dealer, street hustler, and cocaine addict to empathize with the disadvantaged in society as he once was. Nonetheless, he should use his position as a spiritual leader to act ethically rather than prove right the assumptions of society and law enforcement officers that he is not a good person. His desire to assist the community is a test of his integrity, and he should, therefore, use the correct procedure to offer his services. However, Lake has already decided that his actions are justified and the excuses which he gives to the law enforcement officers are merely a way of covering his moral compromise.
A sensible individual would also understand that purchasing the stamps means that someone who was supposed to benefit from them will sleep hungry or use the money they obtained on other illegal activities. However, Lake believes that his strategies for feeding his congregation are more important than allowing other people to use their food stamps rightfully to purchase meals. His actions also enable the people who give him their welfare aid to engage in illicit behavior and this further erodes his credibility as an ethical leader. Lake could have shown integrity by finding alternative but legal sources of income, apart from his disability pay, to obtain food for the disadvantaged. However, the fact that he chooses to engage in illicit activities means that he is not trustworthy and might be willing to do even worse to achieve his goals. He has also fallen into the false necessity trap, believing that his illegal actions are critical for the flock’s survival (Johnson, 2018). He could, instead, ask himself what his beneficiaries would do if he was not around to provide assistance to them, and then he would realize that his help was not as important as he believed. Lake’s activities, therefore, show that he is not using rational thought when he takes people’s welfare aid to support his worshippers.
The reverend also believes that the rules about food stamp trafficking are senseless. He argues that if feeding the hungry is a crime, then he should be put in jail. To Lake, such laws are preventing him from doing a service to the community. He, therefore, justifies himself and wants to create the perception that he should only be criminally charged for his ‘good’ actions rather than for engaging in the behavior forbidden by law. His activities indicate that he believes the stamp trafficking laws are a waste of time that he can spend feeding his congregation. To such an individual, regulations are impractical because they prevent him from doing what he wants even if his actions are illegal. However, such a rationalization is dangerous because it makes people assume that they can follow or break rules as they wish, and this ultimately creates a highly unethical society.
Believing that rules are senseless can also create an environment in which everyone feels obliged to follow their instincts without caring about the consequences of their actions. Lake’s behavior indicates that he is prepared to let his congregation act as they want as long as they achieve their goals. This is because he is willing to break the law to feed his flock, so he would not have the right to counsel a person who is engaging in dishonest behavior. Johnson (2018) states that an individual should not be comfortable letting everyone follow their desires. Such freedom destroys society rather than building it since it offers leeway which criminals can use to exploit the community.
Conclusion
When a person tries to rationalize or justify a lie or their behavior, they make the problem worse. It also deepens the mistrust of those around an individual because their actions will indicate that they do not have integrity and are willing to engage in unethical behavior to achieve a goal. Rather than Lake’s rationalizations proving that he was justified in feeding the congregation, they indicate that he was a liar who was also disrespectful and dishonest. Even though individuals might assume that rationalization makes them appear innocent and demonstrates that they are inherently decent, it ultimately creates a negative image and portrays them as liars.
References
Johnson, J. (2018). Rationalizations – The enemy of integrity: Twelve common rationalizations and excuses to avoid. LinkedIn. Web.
Weiss, M. (1996). Ohio reverend, feeding poor with illegal stamps, faces jail. Associated Press, Contra Costa Times.